in the rain
by peppermintteababy
Summary: Rey gets caught in a rainstorm away from the D'Qar base


Just as they expected, Rey took to the rain like a plant to sunlight. At the slightest sign of rain, she would race out of the base, dropping anything she was doing to fly into the thick of where the shower might begin. She would disappear into the forest to the clearing where Finn and Poe had first introduced her to the beauty of the rain.

Rey danced until soaked and shivering, until the clouds dissipated into sunny skies, or until she realized the alarm that had gone off in her head alerting her that the coming of rain had been an overexcited mistake born from boredom. Finn and Poe never tried to stop her from leaving; she was stuck inside discussing battle plans or training tactics with the various masters of the base, and neither would deny her a good long break every once and while. Sometimes they joined her.

But one morning, when no one, including Rey, expected or sensed it, a rain shower began. Rey was far from the D'Qar base, perched on the edge of a cliff enjoying the clear air and the view of the chasm and forest across the cliff range. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the sweet open air. A flash of light and rolling reverberating thunderbolt broke through her reverie making the young woman leap to alert, poised to flee.

Her instincts remained from months before, when she had scavenged among ruthless brigands for a pittance. That clap of thunder, so close to the piles of unstable debris about to topple she was used to scrounging among, would mean _get out of the way or die!_ She popped up and away from the cliff edge into a stance that would allow her to jump in any direction after spotting danger. Naturally, once the first few drops of cool rain water splashed onto her forehead and shoulders and she realized she was not in any perilous stacks of reliquary, Rey relaxed her stiff stance and her features smoothed into a chagrined smile.

Reaching her hands up to the sky, relishing in the rain dripping down her arms and underneath her shirt cooling her off and relieving the bit of sweat that had gathered at the edge of her hairline from the bright sun, Rey's smile eased into relaxed bliss. It had been at least a week since it last rained and although the Illeenium planet was a rather wet and jungle-filled world, the lack of rain had somewhat damped (sic) Rey's spirits in the last few days. But now that it had returned, bathing the planet in its soft touch, Rey could feel the weight lift off her heart - it was still there, but only a subtle pressure.

Considering the rainstorm might stop, in character with the lack of rain in the last week, Rey wanted to enjoy it to its fullest. She completely forgot all else and instead spent several minutes simply spinning slowly, eyes closed, humming a tune she had heard one of the Resistance fighters singing the other day. She didn't remember the words, but the tune stayed in her mind.

Rey decided to sit back down at the edge of the cliff on which she had been relaxing moments before. She dangled her feet over the edge, moving them back and forth and catching raindrops on her boots before they went sparkling off the tip and rejoined their fellows falling to the unseeable ground far below.

The air was much clearer here than back at the base, where dozens of sweaty pilots and engineers bustled about, maintaining their ships and preparing for the next move of the Resistance. There, Rey never felt at peace, or even calm. There was always an edge, as if they were waiting for something to happen, something to disrupt their already chaotic normal. Poe seemed much more accustomed to the rush and Finn fit in easily. Poe was used to the analytical planning and statistical patience that was demanded of Resistance fighters, while Finn managed with minor discomfort. His opinion mattered now, unlike his Trooper days, where orders were followed to the letter and any errors or even questions were severely disciplined.

Rey wasn't like either of them. She was a survivor, logical of mind, pragmatic of affectation, and alert in her senses. She was an optimistic free spirit, an explorer, one who felt the breeze to know which way the sandstorm would come from, one who slept under the stars of the galaxies she had never seen until now, one who waited, but not anticipating tragedy as was the essence of the base. This kind of wait for disaster felt more like a kind of pressure that could crush diamonds. It brought a knot to her stomach and a lump in her throat.

The rain, something she had dreamed of her entire life (as cliche as that may seem, she couldn't ever remember a rainstorm on Jakku), soothed her heart. It was a cooling blanket to wake her out of her stifling desolate desert dreams.

At least a half an hour had passed since the storm began when she opened her eyes. Blinking through the thick sheets of rain, Rey looked around her. Unable to see farther than a few feet, the trees hardly a few paces behind her were completely obscured. Even the edge of the cliff on which she sat seemed hazy and phased into mist close at hand. Large freshwater drops slipped into her eyes from her forehead and her lashes dripped their own crystalline waterfalls onto her tunic.

A particularly bright flash of light lit up the sky and only a few seconds following the subsequent profoundly-loud round of thunder pounded above her so close Rey felt the electricity in the air stand the hairs on her arms ramrod straight. A tiny pool of anxiety welled up in her stomach, sending signals shouting at her mind to _run! Hide!_

The rain wasn't just cool anymore; it grew frigid. Her thoroughly drenched clothing stuck to her skin tighter than when her sweat from the desert heat melted the cloth into her pores. Rey blinked, taking a deep breath. Even the air was freezing, sending shivers _inside_ her instead of just on the surface. The spot of concern grew like the cold of the rain.

Slowly, Rey scooted away from the edge of the cliff - not wanting to slip over the edge in an attempt to get to her feet. The ground was certainly spongy enough by her tentative touch to warrant the caution. Gingerly pressing against the ground to push herself to standing, lightning flashed. Just as the bolt struck behind her, she clapped her hands over her ears and the thunder came immediately, resounding a raucous roar of a rancor before devouring its guest. The rain that had leaked into her ears seemed to vibrate in the din and sent a pinching sensation to her brain.

Like a white hot sword it slashed through one of the D'Qar jungle's trees. Splinters and twigs wheeled like little flaming batons. From the sudden strike, a spark lit and as she turned, even through the rain, the tree caught on fire.

Rey's breath caught in her throat. It wasn't the heat, but rather the intensity of the light suddenly through the blinding cold haze that threw her off. Smoke smothered the light and flames greedily gobbled the closest greenery. Glancing behind her to the cliff before facing the fire, Rey wet her already rain-slicked lips blinking her eyes slowly as she pulled in a chilling gulp of air.

As she strode past the flaming foliage, giving it a wide enough berth to avoid the shivering flickers, the fire the edge of the tree beside it, as if it were drenched in oil rather than rain, the pine burst into flames. Then it jumped to the next tree, setting it afire, a rebellious spirit amongst the rainstorm. Rey jumped back at the sudden heat and light. Before her eyes, the fire continued to slink quickly along the cliff, spreading on either side until Rey was very nearly trapped where she stood.

In moments, the flames were so hot and high, the rain sizzled with steam and smoke billowed up unseen, far above Rey's head. Along with the slight chill of unease came a pang of relief. The Resistance would certainly see the light from the flames, and if not that, then the smoke - she hoped.

Rey shivered. The temperature at night in the desert of Jakku used to keep her cuddled underneath her thin scavenged blankets, curled up in a ball to retain warmth, but this type of cold was a whole new kind. It sunk into her pores and chilled her bones. It was icy and unpleasant, unlike the sprinkles of rain she had experienced in the past few weeks, as if the sky had decided not to hold back, but to pour all it had down on her head.

A chill shot up her back and for a moment Rey wondered if she could use the Force to create a sort of force-umbrella. But no, she knew what a certain smuggler would say about that. "_That's not how the Force works!_"

For the first time, Rey wished it would stop raining. She considered inching closer to the fire springing up around her but she didn't want to chance its scathing touch.

She thought it might be the wind, tugging at her body and pushing her away from the fire, but this wind wasn't blowing from the fire, but rather towards the fire. As if the fire were a dragon sucking in the oxygen all around. The tugging intensified and Rey thought of it as a hand, a gentle guiding force, taking her away from danger.

"_You must not have been looking hard enough then. Pressure the villagers and find them!"_

Rey's breath hitched. She recognised that voice. But it was faint, a mere murmur. It echoed around her mind as if someone had just whispered in her ear. Turning, she followed the sound with her eyes, blinking through the thick rain.

"_If they refuse to cooperate, kill them."_

Rey paused, her eyes growing wide. Not two feet in front of her was a man dressed entirely in black. He was turned, his side toward her, but it was undeniably the man who had held her captive only a few weeks before and sent her friend Finn into a coma so violently, Kylo Ren.

His sharp jawline and long black hair were clear even through the rain. Rey hardly breathed, unsure whether the shaking in her hands was from fear or the cold. She glanced again at the fire and then back at Kylo Ren. He hadn't seen her yet, but she couldn't escape and there was nowhere to hide. And she had no weapon. She hadn't brought a blaster or her lightsaber as she had only expected to spend some time relaxing and then return to the base for the afternoon briefing.

Eyeing the fire and calculating her chances, Rey took one more half-step back, her foot squishing into the muddy ground. But the sound was loud enough to be heard over the pounding of the rain and Rey's heart. Kylo's head turned. Rey froze.

"Rey!"

A loud blowing sound erupted at the edge of the forest and the fire petered out in the center of the blaze. Rey's eyes snapped away from Kylo Ren and met those of her friend, Finn. His eyes were equally wide and relief flooded her body as he stepped out of the forest, rushing to her side.

"Rey, are you okay?"

Rey glanced back at where Kylo stood. He was gone! Had he just been her imagination or the rain making shapes amid the shadows?

Finn held an umbrella over Rey and Rey eagerly took it, holding it close to her chest and shivering under its protection. Finn slipped his jacket off of his shoulders and draped it around her. It was warm and Rey welcomed that.

"Yeah," Rey breathed, "yeah, I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"Lighting." Rey gazed at the fire, now slowly dying out as the rain finally did its job, coming down harder than moments before. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Routine patrols," Finn frowned, a worried expression clouding his eyes. Adjusting the jacket on her shoulders, he tucked it closer around her neck. "I convinced Poe to bring me along instead of Tehua."

"Thanks," Rey said genuinely, meeting his eyes. "Let's get back.."

Finn's face finally softened, breaking into a smile. "Maybe you should stay out of the rain for a few days."

Rey grinned, "No way."


End file.
